After receiving a scholarship offer from USC two nights ago, Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame defensive end Wes Horton ends the recruiting process early by verbally committing to the Trojans.

Horton, who made the Rivals.com Class of 2008 Watch List, had 92 tackles and 13 sacks as a junior. The Trojans now secure commitment No. 5 for this year.

"Yes, that's correct, I'm a Trojan," said Horton. "I didn't see a reason to wait any longer, so I called Pete Carroll and committed."

Horton, still excited by his unexpected scholarship offer from Steve Sarkisian Tuesday night, talked about the reasons behind his decision.

"I've been a Bruin my whole life, but I really started to think about USC after their Junior Day last week," he said. "I just love their philosophy and I love how much intensity they have around the program.

"They're very competitive at USC, but I like that. The way they do things makes them one of the best in the nation."

Horton, who chose USC over scholarship offers from Oregon, Ole Miss, UNLV and San Diego State, has family ties to Las Vegas and Westwood. In fact, his father is a UCLA alum, while his brother, Shane, signed with UNLV to play football next fall.

Despite Bruin bloodlines, Horton's family is very supportive of his commitment to USC.

"My dad didn't really want me going to UCLA," said Horton. "Both of my parents are excited about USC and they support my decision 100-percent."